Incandescent electric lamp



June 5, 1923. 1.457,440

C. E. LEECE INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMP Filed July 6, 1921 ,Q/forwey Patented June 5, 1923..

Mtmtt entree stares earner entice.

CHARLES EDWARD LEECE, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO ROBERT FRANKLIN LEECE AND ONE-THIRD TO BOLDEN CLARK, BOTH OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

I INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMP.

Application filed July 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES ED'WARD LEECE, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Youngstown,

county of Mahoning, and State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Incandescent Electric Lamps,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to incandescent electric lamps, and it has for its primary object to provide a lamp embodying a multiplicity of filaments and means whereby all of any lesser number thereof may be utilized, with the end in view to create a lamp which will provide any-candle power desired within certain wide limits and also a lamp possessing relatively long life.

As heretofore commonly constructed, incandescent electric lamps have possessed one or more connected filaments all of which are at all times utilized. Thus, except for dimming purposes, the candle power is substantially invariable, and, when the filament becomes broken, the lamp is rendered useles.

As above indicated, it is .the aim of the present invention to provide a lamp having a plurality of unconnected filaments, each separate and distinct from the others, and means whereby said filaments may be'separately included in an electric circuit. lhus, any number of said filaments may be utilized at one and the same time, and, when one thereof burns out or becomes broken, the remaining filaments remain unafiected. Furthermore, as filaments become useless, additional filaments may be readily placed in use, thus greatly prolonging the life of the lamp.

In describin the invention in detail, reference is hereln had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a lamp embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section of the base of the lamp; and

Figure 3 is a lan view of the non-eonductive wirc-hol ing disk carried by the glass rod, the latter being shown in cross section.

Referring to said drawings, 1 indicates a glass globe which may be of any desired size and shape, and 2 designates the base 1921. Serial No. 482,688.

of a suitable dielectric material in which the end of the globe is embedded, as ordinarily, said base being embraced by a shell 3 of sheet-brass having the usual pressed threads adapted for enga ement with the threads of a lamp socket. lso embedded in the base is an end of a glass rod 4which is disposed axially with respect to the globe 1. and which has its opposite end extendin to a suitable point within the body of the atter. Embedded in said rod is a copper wire 5 for conducting the positive :current, the same being attached at its outer end to a contact member 6 carried by the base 2, while its opposite end is attached to a disk 7 of copper or other suitable material possessing high conductivity, said disk being suitably carried by the inner end of said rod 4.

Embedded inv the base 2 are the outer end portions of a multiplicity of copper wires 8 having terminal contacts 9, preferably formed by flattening or upsetting the extremities of said wires. Said contacts are located at a spaced distance from the shell 3 and have leading inward thereto through said shell and the base threaded sockets 10 adapted for the reception of small screws 11 whereby. said wires 8 may be connected electrically with said shell. aid screws are made of such length that, when their points are seated. against said contacts 9, their heads lie flush with the surface of the shell so that threading of the lamp into and out of its socket is'notinterfered with.

The Wires 8 extend into the'interior of the globe 1 between the neck of the latter and the rod 4 and have the inner end portions thereof rojected through small holes 12 provided therefor in a disk 13 whereby they are maintained in spaced relation. Said disk is made of non-conductive mate-- rial and is carried by the glass rod 4 at a suitable point intermediate the ends of the latter.

Suspended from each' of the wires 8 is an end of an incandescent filament '14 which has its opposite end attached to the disk 7 adjacent to the Jeripheral edge of the latter. Said filament has a coil 14 formed therein intermediate its ends and preferably disposed in a radially extending position, as shown. Intermediate suspensions for said coils may be provided, the same consisting of wires 15 having their upper ends suitably attached to the disk 13.

From the foregoing it will be understood that any of the various filaments may be rendered operative by introducing a screw 11 into engagement with the contact 9 of the wire 8 which suspends such filament, thus completing an electric circuit which includes the positive wire 5, the disk 7, the

filament 14, the negative wire 8, the contact 9, the screw 11 and the shell 3.

Assuming that the lamp originally has all of the screws occupying their seated positions, the lamp may be employed without the removal of screws, in which case all filaments will be operative and a relatively powerful light will be produced. Thus, any of the filaments which may become broken or may burn out will in no way affect the remaining filaments, the only result being to reduce the candle power of the lamp. 0r, instead of using all filaments at once, any number of'the screws'may be removed to reduce the-candle power to the extent required. Then, as filaments are destroyed, screws may be introduced to connect upunused filaments, in which case substantially unimpaired candle power may be maintained for relatively long periods.

It will be obvious that the globe 1 may have its neck portion directly connected in sealed relation to the glass supporting rod 4, as ordinarily, with the wires 8 leading into the globe outside the body of the rod, it being understood that the relative arrangement of the embedded portions of the globe and the rod herein shown is merely illustrative.

What is claimed i's 1. An incandescent filament lamp com' prising a base and a globe, a metallic" shell embracing said base, a plurality of filaments supported within the globe, a contact member carried by the base, a plurality of threaded sockets in said base, means for connecting said filaments at opposite ends to the contact member and to the sockets, and screws for threading into the sockets to connect electrically between the filaments and the shell.

2. An incandescent filament "lamp comprising a base and a globe, a metallic shell embracing said base, a plurality of filaments supported Within the globe, a contact member carried by the base, a plurality of "threaded sockets within the base, wires connecting one side of said filaments with the contact member, wires connecting the other side of said filaments with said sockets, and screws for threading into said sockets for connecting the last mentioned wires with said shell.

3. An incandescent filament lamp comprising a base and a globe, a contact member carried by the base, a shell embracing the base, a plurality of separate filaments within the globe, means for supporting said filaments comprising an axially disposed glass rod depending from the base, nonconducting means carried by said rodintermediatethe ends thereof and having holes for the passage of wires therethrough, conducting means carried by said rod, means passing through said glass rod for connecting said conducting means to said contactmember, wires depending from said base and passing through the holes in said non-conducting means, said filaments having their opposite ends connected to said wires and to said conducting means, and means for connecting said wires to said shell.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES EDYVARD LEEQE. Witnesses:

W. C. CARMAN, ALICE MOGiNN. 

